Beckett Mariner ran down the corridor of Deck 4 to the nearest turbolift. "Deck 11" she said as she ran into the lift. The door silently closed behind her and began moving. "Never fails." She said, striking the wall of the lift with her fist. "Just when I begin to make friends, something happens, and I lose them." She struck the wall of the lift with her other fist as a tear rolled down her cheek. "No wonder I never bothered to make friends. Who needs them anyway." The lift stopped just as quietly as it stopped, and the doors opened. She stepped out into the corridor and headed directly to her bunk, A12001, in the Lower Decks crew berthing area on Deck 11, and climbed up into it. She pulled the curtain closed behind her to hide herself. She pulled her pillow tight to her chest but suddenly realized it wasn't her pillow. "Dammit Boimler. Can't you keep your crap in your bunk?" She shoved the pillow away but then quickly pulled it back to herself. "It even smells like him." She started thinking about Boimler, and the Tendi and Rutherford. The friends that she thought she would never be able to make, who looked past her shortcomings and attitudes, the ones who always supported her, and were now going to be tossed into a pile of memories as three new junior officers would occupy the spaces her soon-to-be former friends now occupy. "Maybe I can talk mom into letting me have my own quarters." Slowly and fitfully, she drifted off to sleep.
"I think I did it!" Exclaimed Boimler as he burst into the Repair Bay on Deck 4.
"Did what?" Asked Rutherford?
Boimler calmed down and realized someone was missing. "Where's Mariner? I thought she'd be back by now."
"I don't think she's coming back." Said Tendi. She paused for a moment. "I think she was upset that we were getting transferred and she wasn't."
"You figure she'd be used to it by now." Said Rutherford casually as he sat down in a nearby chair.
"No, something was really bothering her." Said Tendi. "I almost think she was crying."
"Mariner?" Said Boimler. "Never. I don't think she's even capable of it."
"She's still Human." Said Tendi. "I'm not Human, and even I can cry."
"Okay okay. Maybe she's capable of it, but I've never actually seen her do it."
"First time for everything." Said Rutherford.
Boimler shook his head and tapped his commbadge." Computer, locate Ensign Mariner."
"Ensign Mariner is on Deck 11, bunk A12001."
Boimler looked back at the group. "I'm not going alone. You two are going with me this time." Tendi and Rutherford both sighed, stood up, and followed Boimler out of the Repair Bay.
Freeman tapped the keypad on her display. "Lieutenant Shaxs?
"Yes Captain?"
"Can you get me Captain LaForge on the Challenger?"
"Yes Captain." Came the reply. Carol drummed her fingers on the desk as she waited for the request to be put through. She took time to flip through some photos that were on her screen. The first one she came to was a picture of herself, her husband Alonzo, and her daughter Beckett. Carol estimated that the picture was taken when Beckett was in her early teens. Another picture scrolled by, and it was one of her and Will Riker and it looked like it was taken on the Enterprise D in Ten-Forward. The next picture was of a much youngers version of herself, Alonzo, and Geordi LaForge, all in formal attire. Carol smiled, remembering it was her and Alonzo's wedding, and LaForge was Alonzo's best man, being a fellow classmate at the Academy and a good friend. "Shaxs to Captain."
"Go ahead, Lieutenant."
"I have Captain LaForge for you. Transferring it to your Ready Room."
"Thanks." Carol turned her desktop monitor to face her directly. The Cerritos' logo was replaced with that of the Starfleet ASDB, or Advanced Starship Design Bureau. A moment later, that logo disappeared, and the visage of Captain Geordi LaForge appeared on the display. "Geordi!"
"Carol! What an unexpected surprise! What can I do for you?"
"I have a favor to ask."
"Sure. Anything for the woman who puts up with Al."
Carol smiled. "He's not that bad."
"Now that he's gotten older." LaForge paused. "Did he ever tell you what he did to me as I took over as Chief Engineer on the Enterprise?"
"No."
Geordi laughed. "Well, maybe I should let him tell you. Now what did you want to ask?"
Carol took a cleansing breath. "You know how you are taking three of my ensigns for a few weeks?"
"Yes. A training exercise of sorts. I'll have them back to you in about four weeks."
"I'd like you to take one more if you could."
Geordi knew where this was heading. "If it's Beckett… the answer is no."
Carol frowned. "Come on Geordi. Those three ensigns are the best thing that has ever happened to Beckett." She paused for a moment. "Did I ever tell you about Ensign Brad Boimler?"
"The guy who's scared of his own shadow, but somehow managed a promotion and transfer to the Titan?"
"The same. Well, he came and made a passionate plea to have her included."
"Interesting, but no. I'm sorry Carol. I can't have a loose canon like her on the Challenger."
Carol wasn't giving up. She thought for a moment and then a predatory smile came to her face. "Did Alonzo ever find out that it was you that sabotaged his promotion to Lieutenant Commander?"
Geordi's face went blank. "You wouldn't."
Carol nodded her head. "I would. You would be surprised at what you do for your children. Just like you or Leah would for Sidney and Alandra."
Geordi pinched the bridge of his nose as he felt a headache creeping in. "You played way too much poker with Will."
"Look. I've charged Boimler, Tendi and Rutherford with keeping Beckett under control. I have faith in them." Carol hoped her poker face had improved.
Geordi sighed. "Fine. She can join them. But if she screws up…."
"You have my personal permission to toss her in the brig. Just make sure you have three chairs sitting outside her cell."
"Why is that?"
"Her friends will camp out to keep her company."
Geordi smiled. "Okay."
"I appreciate this Geordi."
"And you won't tell Alonzo?"
"Nope."
"Good. We should rendezvous with the Cerritos in about eighteen hours. LaForge out."
Carol tapped the button on the display to turn it off. She then tapped her commbadge. "Freeman to Boimler."
A startled and high-pitched voice answered. "Captain!"
Carol could visualize Boimler freaking out at this moment. "At ease, Ensign. I just spoke with Captain LaForge."
"O…okay."
"The answer is yes."
"Thank you, Captain!"
"Remember our deal."
"Aye, Captain."
"Freeman out." Carol tapped her commbadge to close the channel. She glanced back at the picture on her desk. "Don't let me down, Ensign."